Forged Aluminum and Mil.-Spec. is all you need to look for. After that it becomes a matter of which company's roll-mark you like best. Stag, Armalite and of course Spike's are some of the more popular ones. $85 -$135 out the door is a pretty normal price, but Palmetto State and others have had some great sales recently for around $50 recently.

The parts that go into the lower are more important than the shell of aluminum that holds them.

BTW, aluminum billet lowers are nice, but are very expensive for most people's needs.

__________________Fear is a Reaction..............Courage is a Decision

I like the rra lowers bit pricier than some but the fit with their uppers is outstanding

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"Gun control: The theory that a woman found dead in an alley, raped and strangled with her panty hose, is somehow morally superior to a woman explaining to police how her attacker got that fatal bullet wound." — L. Neil Smith

The problem with being stupid is you cannot simply decide to stop doing dumb things...

I picked up a PSA lower back a while ago for $50. I'm delighted.
I'd also be lookin' at the PlumCrazy complete lower for like $125. It's flippin' COMPLETE! I'm curious about the composite. Light weight build anyone?

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The biggest issue with assembling an AR isn't so much getting the parts together right - it's getting the right parts together.
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US Army 1966-69, VFW Life Member, Retired Geek